birth doula & threshold cereMonies
RITES of PASSAGE
Root & Rise
from $1500 | 3-9 months | Lititz, PA
Birth Doula
Since the beginning of time, pregnant women have been held and supported by other women through the sacred journey of childbirth. It is my intention and passion to carry that thread forward with mothers today. As a doula, I deeply revere the great mystery of pregnancy and birth, and provide education, birth plan support, and a rooted presence amidst the inevitable unknowns.
I understand birth to be a divine journey that asks each pregnant mother to meet the deepest parts of herself, and be reborn on every level of her being. I’m here to help you unpack personal fears and stories you may carry, so that you can meet birth with greater clarity, rootedness and embodiment.
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I would love to sit down with you to chat more about who I am, what I offer as a doula, and how I might best support you and your growing family. I’ll answer any questions you may have, as well as go over the details of my contracts. Consultations are 30 minutes in length at no cost or commitment.
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Beginning in your second trimester, we’ll meet up to approximately once per month, sometimes with your birth partner and sometimes just you and I. During these sessions, I’ll learn more about you, your family, and your pregnancy experience, and also answer any questions you have. We’ll work on writing your birth plan(s), discuss relaxation and presencing techniques, as well as talk about how I might best support you and your unique needs and desires during labor. In addition to these more tangible preparations, I can also support you in connecting to the energetic space of your womb and aligning the energy to prepare for birth, as well as guide you with coaching, tools, rituals and practices to walk the transformative journey you are on with presence, power and grace.
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I’ll be on call beginning week 38 of your pregnancy until your baby decides it’s time to make their entrance earthside. I’ll offer constant support from the time you are in active labor, or earlier if requested, and will stay through birth and the immediate postpartum period, as you and your baby meet one another for the first time to assist you with your comfort as well as with establishing breastfeeding or another preferred feeding method with your baby.
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I will come to your home at a time of your choosing within the first 6 weeks postpartum to discuss any number of things on your mind and heart, from processing your labor and birth experience, talking through how life has been with your new little one, or to answer any questions you have.
from $500 | 2-3 hours | Lititz, PA & Beyond
Mother Blessing
A Mother Blessing is a threshold ceremony honoring the rite of passage from maiden to mother. The intention of a Mother Blessing is to support a mama in remembering her strength, releasing fears, gaining confidence for her labor and birth, as well as bolstering her in sisterhood and community as she unfolds into her journey of mothering her new baby. Embracing this huge rite of passage can be a transformative act for every mother.
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Each Mother Blessing ceremony will be thoughtfully co-created between myself and the mother-to-be. While I do have specific rituals, I will design the ceremony around both the mother and her guests (up to 5), making it approachable, enjoyable and soulful for all. It can include:
honoring the mother lineage
guided meditative journey
a “nurturing the mother” ritual (e.g. laying on of hands/massage; foot soak; hair brushing; circle of love; etc.)
sharing circle
a “symbol crafting” ritual (e.g. bead necklace, belly painting, wall hanging, prayer/affirmation flags; blessing basket; salt ritual; etc.)
red thread ritual
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The ceremony originated with Navajo traditions of “blessingway” ceremonies, in which women embarking on their birthing journey were blessed with ritual, song and dance. It is important to me to acknowledge and honor the indigenous roots and inspiration of this event, as I hold a modified version of this within my own community.
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Although often held at a similar time as a baby shower, a Mother Blessing is different. Rather than focusing on the baby and gifts, we gather to honor and emphasize the immense, remarkable transformation a woman undergoes when she dedicates herself to the journey from maiden to mother. A Mother Blessing can also help to reclaim the missed opportunity of baby showers, giving a mother-to-be an opportunity to build her village of support by providing sacred space for her to be vulnerable, heard and witnessed, and to envision her journey through birth and postpartum supported by those she trusts most.
from $300 | 2-3 hours | Lititz, PA
Welcoming the Mother
This is a postpartum ceremony to honor your passage through the gates of birth into motherhood. As you traverse the depths of the birth portal - you’ve been unraveled, cracked open, and forever transformed. Now, you are being reshaped and rewoven, emerging as someone new… a new woman, a Mother. There is no going back to your old self, only forward. And you deserve to be witnessed, to be held, and to be nurtured. Together, you and I will co-create a beautiful ceremony to make medicine of this sacred threshold into Motherhood.
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birth story sharing
yoni steam
guided meditation
energetic healing and medicine for the birth field and flow
Closing of the Bones ritual
oracle card readings